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The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the
world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael
Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

Austria
Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital
is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and
incredible history & food. Go Now!

Latvia
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Food, Dining, & Drinks in Serbia

Culinary Influences

Traditional Serbian cooking is all done over the grill or
an open fire and the people still love using this technique. Historically, the Serbian
diet was heavily reliant on animal byproducts such as meat, fats, dairy, and eggs.

The first strong influences on their food came from opposite directions, the
Greeks from the Mediterranean and the Russians from
overland. The Greeks' greatest influence is in the way of ingredients, while
the Russians introduced a number of dishes that are still popular today, like meat-filled
dumplings called pelmeni.

More recently, the Turks, Hungarians,
and Austrians have incorporated ingredients to the
Serbian cuisine. Particularly noticeable are desserts, which range from
Turkish-style baklava to Viennese-style cakes.

Staple Foods

There is no true staple food in Serbia, however their diet
is heavily tilted in the favor of grilled meats and you will find a meat in almost
every dish.

Serbs are inviting people and enjoy hosting, but you are
expected to thank their hospitality by means of a small gift, like wine and the
courtesy of removing your shoes before entering their house.

As soon as you get in the door you'll probably be offered small appetizers,
including slatko, a popular strawberry preserve which can be served before
or after a meal. This will be just the first course and you'll commonly be served
multiple courses.

The other side of dining is drinking and in Serbia drinks are commonly served with
dinner. Toasts are common (make and keep eye contact while toasting) and you may
be served any number of drinks, including rakija or sljivovica,
which can be excessively strong, especially if they are homemade. Getting too intoxicated
is inappropriate so leave some liquid in your glass to avoid having it refilled.

If you're dining in public, the host is expected to pay for the entire bill.
If you're not the host, don't offer to pay though since this can be very
rude; instead invite your host to dinner at a later date.

At sit down restaurants with a waiter or waitress, round up or tip about 10% of
the bill.

Drinks

Rakija

Due to a past under both Austrian and Turkish
rule, Serbia has grown quite fond of coffee, particularly
strong dark Turkish coffees. The country is also known for tits mineral waters.
If neither of these sound appetizing, Serbia also has juices, tea, coffee, soft
drinks, and milk widely available.

While beer, wine, and hard liquors are also common in Serbia,
they have two local specialties: sljivovica, which is a distilled plum
juice and rakija, which is distilled from grapes.

Generally speaking, the tap water is safe to drink in Serbia,
but check with locals for any particular regional differences. Also, many people
may have troubles adjusting to the local tap water, as it will most certainly be
different from what your system is used to.